Apostasy Pt. 2

What makes one apostate?

That’s a complicate question. I don’t know why they do it.

Oh, what makes ME say someone’s apostate? Anyone who has moved away from Fundamentalism – whether they were ever a Fundamentalist or not – is apostate. Remember the definition I gave of Apostate yesterday – To stand away from a previously held position.

Technically, anyone who is not King James Only would be apostate. But I know that’s going to seem incredibly harsh. Okay, let me COMPROMISE then, and give you a more relaxed definition, so that nobody’s angry with me – because I have some readers who are not King James Only, have not settled that issue in themselves yet, and read the New King James and other “translations”.

Anyone who has compromised, and accepts heretical teachers, and anyone who claims to be Christian and is not. Technically, Evangelical Christianity defines an apostate as anyone who denies Christ. So, we have, if we accept both definitions, the bizarre condition in which Christians can teach and be in apostasy while not yet being apostate.

How can I say Christianity is wallowing in apostasy, as a pig wallows in mud? Need just one example?

I was DUMBFOUNDED 4 years ago when I witnessed supposed Christians apologizing for the sin of “Mormophobia”.

What in the WORLD are you talking about? Fear of Mormons?

Oh, I get it – you are apologizing for fear of… well, no I don’t get it. You’re not afraid of them – you just recognized they were a cult and not Christians. And now, by apologizing, you’re accepting their unBibllical nonsense as “Christian” when it’s not.

That’s Apostasy. They don’t believe in the Jesus of the Bible – their Jesus is half brother to Satan. I guarantee that’s not a Biblical concept. If you’re struggling with that, I can recommend a good book – it’s called the Bible.

Many, many Evangelical leaders have compromised and accepted a cult as Christians because of political expediency. That’s Apostasy.

Next, any Evangelical who accepts as a Christian anyone whose definition of becoming a Christian is being sprinkled as a baby – is apostasy. There’s nothing in the Bible about being sprinkled as a baby equalling salvation. To take such a position is to compromise, to move away from the position of the Bible. It’s Apostasy.

If you’re going to compromise on the issue of salvation – THE most important subject on earth – what else will you compromise on???

We decided we didn’t like the bible’s version of salvation – so we changed it to our version. “1,2,3 repeat after me!” “There are four spiritual laws…” “There’s a cross shaped hole in your heart…” “God has a wonderful plan for your life….”Let me be blunt and say right now – if your testimony includes someone telling you this, and you repeated a prayer they told you to say… um…. step away from your computer, put down your phone, and get on your face before God. You’ve been lied to, and that’s not salvation.

YOU have to pray. YOU have to repent. YOU have to beg God to save you. A simple, “yeah, I don’t think I can do this on my own…” prayer is kind of like saying, “Oh God, if I don’t throw up, I promise I’ll never drink again.” It’s a lie, because you’re right back out there the following Friday night, drinking again.

It may sound like I’m being picky, but how does God see it? There’s no subject more important than Salvation. Ask everyone whose in Hell right now – they’ll agree.

So, then we say, “Huh. They have a little white church building and a steeple… must be Christian!!!” And when we hear them say, “Yes, I’ve been a Cbristian all my life!!!”

um… okay! “Why, of course they’re Christian!”

Let me shout for a second, and wake everyone up – THERE IS NOTHING IN THE BIBLE ABOUT BEING SPRINKLED AS A BABY. IT IS COMPLETELY UNBIBLICAL. AND IT DOES NOT EQUAL SALVATION.

Thanks. So the next question is, if you’re relying on baby sprinkling to save you, where do you end up?

Oh, yes – that’s the next subject people apostate on. I am dumbfounded that there are so many in the Southern Baptist Convention who deny the subject of Hell.

Let me put it this way – if you’ve compromised THAT much that you don’t believe in Hell, I wonder about your salvation. No, really. You’re already calling the Lord Jesus Christ a liar, and I don’t know if anyone born of the spirit really can do such a thing. It’s just HALF A STEP from denying the Lord.

Hell is not “eternal Separation from God.” Hell is fire, and agony, and torment… it’s terrible. It’s horrible. And when you try to pin someone down who uses the “eternak separation from God” line on “Is Hell fire, or no???” you end up with verbal dancing. It’s a yes or no answer – is Hell fire? The answer I got from one person in an adult Sunday School class while we discussed it was… “I’m sure for some people, it might be.”

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!

READ Luke 16! STOP listening to Billy Graham and Rob Bell! LIfeway tossed out the “Love Wins” book for denying Hell, but continued to sell “Just As I Am” which does the same thing!

There are MYRIADS of evangelical Christians who, from what I’m seeing, have rejected the Jesus Christ of the Bible and adopted a false Jesus, something the Bible warns us of.

There’s the rich man, tailored clothes wearing Word Faith “first born again man” Jesus, who encourages us gently to be like him, a name it-claim it faith speaking man. That can’t be Jesus Christ – The Jesus of the Bible is GOD, and not a born again man. To them, I’m saying the same thing, because they consider themselves little gods, but since Jesus was the first one, why – he’s like a CEO! HE’s a big G God!

That’s so unBiblical I’m dumbfounded. And if you read my series on Word Faith, you know that the first church I ever went to was Word Faith. I got saved years later, and my first prayer to the LOrd is, “Lord teach me sound doctrine so that I never get involved in a false church or a cult ever again!” And you know what? THe LOrd answered that!

There’s the Evangelical, judge not, love everybody equally Jesus – that’s not the Jesus of the Bible, because (and I urge you to read the Bible and find out!) the Lord Jesus Christ, who is humble and meek, and lowly in heart – is God almighty. And he really will judge the world. He really will ask your Pastor to give an account for his ministry. And He really will haul everyone out of Hell, and step by step judge their works, for the purposes of determining how terrible their punishment will be. Yes, the Jesus of the bible. The one you prayed to forgive you. That’s the one.

There’s the hippie Jesus that most people know from the movies. You’re just waiting for him to say, “Dude”. Or “Cowabunga”. There was a TV movie of Jesus where the actor actually got fairly close in some scenes to a correct portrayal of Jesus Christ, but half the time he wandered around looking half stoned in the movie. Stop watching Hollywood Jesus and open your Bibles.

There’s the Roman Catholic Jesus, who mutters strange and perplexing parables, but is too holy for us to talk to, so we talk to his human mother instead. That’s not the Jesus of the bible.

Doesn’t seem that bad, what i’m talking about? How does it seem to God?

Here’s some powerful questions to consider. If you can deny the Bible, Deny salvation, deny Hell, and deny Jesus Christ…. are you saved?

I’ll be even more blunt. In the average Southern Baptist church, I’ll tell you right now – most of them are probably not saved. There’s got to be some evidence in your life that you’re saved. If you spend more time talking about football with friends than about God, the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Great Commission… danger zone. And I know I just trampled on sacred cows right there.

“Don’t pick on the NFL, man!” Too late. It’s stupid. We memorize statistics on how Joe Bunknaspitz got 200 yards rushing in his career, and how much better the Jets would do if they just got Joe Namath back as a quarterback!

But we can’t open our bibles, and memorizing Bible verses is WAAAAY too difficult!

My question is… are you Christian?

If I were to arrest you, bring you to court, and try you in Circuit Court of being a Christian – would you be convicted or acquitted? i’m telling you right now, that a vast majority would find themselves being acquitted. Not guilty of being a Christian.

“Your honor, my client may have several Bibles, but their just an avid book collector. After all, they never read it, never pray, only go to church a few times a year…”

“Not guilty.”

Feeling better that you’re a Independent Baptist? Guess what? David Cloud even says most Independent Baptists are not saved. It was right there on the “Essential Bible Student” series that I put up, that only one or two of you even bothered to watch!

Christianity should consume you. If you do not have an “us vs. them” feeling about your Christianity, hint hint… you’re not one of “Us” you’re one of “Them”.

If you cannot tell me the names of six of the apostles, that’s scary. “Well, I’ve only been saved 13 years! But this year my resolution is to read my Bible all the way through for the first time!” That’s really scary. And it’s danger zone. A disciple of Jesus Christ continues in His word. Are you?

Take it to the Lord, get it taken care of. That’s what we heard every week in Seminary. “Take care of it. Get it resolved.” And this was pastoral candidates and missionary candidates hearing this!

Make sure you’re saved. Let’s get that one thing taken care of first.

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Author: philipdean2013

Seminary graduate with a Ba. in Theology/Pastoral Studies, Happily married, Independent Baptist. I can't keep silent about what I see going on in Christianity any longer!
Apostasy reigns around us, churches are sliding into worldiness, a whitewashed Gospel is preached everywhere...
"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Jeremiah 6:16 (KJV)
So, I'm speaking out. ...Why aren't you???
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